An area of Arapahoe County roughly the size of the former Stapleton Airport will be developed under a plan announced Wednesday by state officials.

The state Board of Land Commissioners said it’s seeking proposals from developers for homes, offices and stores on nearly 3,000 acres of the former Lowry Range west of Watkins Road between East Quincy and Yale avenues.

The land board’s mission is to produce revenue from state-owned lands held in trust for the benefit of kindergarten through 12th-grade public education.

The site, roughly the size of Lakewood, is the largest tract of undeveloped land adjacent to a metropolitan area in the United States, Gov. Bill Owens said at a press conference announcing the proposal.

“Rarely do we have a decision … with as much long-term impact on the state of Colorado as this decision will have,” he said.

It’s not known how many homes could be built on the site. However, 12,000 are planned for the similarly sized Stapleton. Development on the suburban range site presumably would be less dense.

The range was used years ago by the military as a training ground for pilots, and old bombing targets are scattered through the area. An abandoned missile silo – a relic of the Cold War – sits on the property’s east side.

The board has focused on a three-part approach for the land: water resource development, open space and conservation plans, and contained development. It will examine four sites on the west side of the property for reservoirs.

While the land is state-owned, developers selected for the “mixed-use” project likely will go through Arapahoe County’s planning process, said Susan Conaway, manager of the county’s planning and zoning division.

“The Lowry Range is in our comprehensive plan as planning reserve,” she said. “We recognize the importance of the property because it’s so close to the metro area.”

The project also will be watched by other municipalities, Conaway said. Aurora, for example, is concerned about the effect it will have on city roads and water quality.

Doug Robotham, Colorado state director of the Trust for Public Land, told the board Wednesday morning that he anticipates partnering with a developer on a proposal for the 3,000-acre site, as well as submitting a proposal on the site devoted to conservation.

Robotham said he wants to ensure that whatever development occurs promotes recreation.

Robotham said the Trust for Public land likely will partner with another conservation group to compete for the conservation portion.

Developers partnering with conservation groups will receive higher scores than those who don’t, said Melissa Feeder, the state’s project manager.

The Larimer County coroner on Sunday performed an autopsy on the body found on a farm just east of Loveland Saturday, but the office will not release the cause of death or the identity of the person until they can track down next of kin.